My husband and I went to Disneyland with our youngest son and also our oldest son, his wife, and their three adorable little girls. I knew that last time we'd gone, we walked enough that on the second and third day we had to tighten up the straps on our fanny pack (my husband's belt; he didn't wear a fanny pack) so I was curious to wear my new pedometer and see just how many steps we walked.
Holy guacamole!!! For me, it was 16,000 steps the first day and 20,000 the second! I was amazed. Six miles that second day.
And by the third day, as we drove back home, my calves were so tight and cramped that every time I climbed out of the car, my first 100 steps were mere painful hobbles.
That seems an amazing number. My current goal is to reach 5,000 steps each day, and often I reach as high as 8,000. And my ultimate goal is 10,000 steps a day.
While sitting in the waiting room of the VA hospital on Tuesday, before my father-in-law's post-surgery check-up (he's doing great), I read an article about Valerie Bertinelli, who is now looking fabulous -- and whose trainer often had her walking 20,000 steps a day!
Wow. I am impressed. I know that if I walked 20,000 each day, I'd look fabulous, too. Or my legs would fall off. One of the two.
How many steps have you walked today?
April 29, 2010
March 7, 2010
BABY STEP 40 - Reality TV Show
My husband, father-in-law, and I drove out to Vernal to attend the funeral services for my husband's cousin. She was one year younger than me.
It got me to thinking, on the long (three hours each way) drive, about making choices that lead me toward vibrant health.
I realize some people have health problems that have nothing to do with the choices they've made. They may have diseases or have had injuries that limit their movement.
But most of us have limited our own movement. We sit in front of the screen of our choice -- television, computer monitor, XBOX. Maybe even a 52-inch, flat, high-definition, state-of-the-art television screen hanging on the wall.
We while away our hours, the very currency of our lives, watching insipid shows. Or, worst of all, watching other people live *their* lives on reality TV.
If your life was a reality TV show, what would it be called? Think about that one, and we'll get together tomorrow and toss out our best ideas (maybe our worst).
Carol Burnett called her soap opera "As The Stomach Turns." What is your soap opera called? "As The Stomach Grows"? "All My Carbohydrates"?
Or is it a variation on "The Biggest Loser"?
I don't like the word "loser." Sure, they mean losing pounds, but just put your hand in the L-shape up on your forehead. No, thanks.
I'm not a loser. I'm a winner. And I'm going to win this year.
Join me. Let's be "The Biggest Winners" together.
And I can hardly wait to hear the name of your reality TV show of your life. I'll tell you what -- let's do one humorous one, and one serious one, okay?
(Oh, and before i forget, if you sit in a car for six hours and in a funeral service for two, and in a restaurant for one, you'll only have 2120 steps by five in the evening.
Hmmm. If I decide to take a thirty minute walk, I could bump that up to over 5000 steps today.
Why not?
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
It got me to thinking, on the long (three hours each way) drive, about making choices that lead me toward vibrant health.
I realize some people have health problems that have nothing to do with the choices they've made. They may have diseases or have had injuries that limit their movement.
But most of us have limited our own movement. We sit in front of the screen of our choice -- television, computer monitor, XBOX. Maybe even a 52-inch, flat, high-definition, state-of-the-art television screen hanging on the wall.
We while away our hours, the very currency of our lives, watching insipid shows. Or, worst of all, watching other people live *their* lives on reality TV.
If your life was a reality TV show, what would it be called? Think about that one, and we'll get together tomorrow and toss out our best ideas (maybe our worst).
Carol Burnett called her soap opera "As The Stomach Turns." What is your soap opera called? "As The Stomach Grows"? "All My Carbohydrates"?
Or is it a variation on "The Biggest Loser"?
I don't like the word "loser." Sure, they mean losing pounds, but just put your hand in the L-shape up on your forehead. No, thanks.
I'm not a loser. I'm a winner. And I'm going to win this year.
Join me. Let's be "The Biggest Winners" together.
And I can hardly wait to hear the name of your reality TV show of your life. I'll tell you what -- let's do one humorous one, and one serious one, okay?
(Oh, and before i forget, if you sit in a car for six hours and in a funeral service for two, and in a restaurant for one, you'll only have 2120 steps by five in the evening.
Hmmm. If I decide to take a thirty minute walk, I could bump that up to over 5000 steps today.
Why not?
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
February 10, 2010
BABY STEP 39 - Day of Rest (Feb 8)
If Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, why do I still have so much to do?
My family still expects dinner, usually a big one (roast beef in the crockpot makes it easier, especially if I cook up the potatoes, mash 'em, and stick them in another crockpot on warm, and even make the gravy and put it in a small crockpot). But it still takes time.
Today my kitchen is still torn up, so my husband grilled some steaks on the BBQ grill (it's too cold to grill, but when you don't have a stove/oven hooked up, the choices for a nice Sunday dinner are limited.
My family and I watched three movies today. Usually we'll go weeks without watching one, but we had a regular movie-lalapalooza today. Not many steps, but a lot of relaxation time watching silly movies.
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (man wishing he could be a fish--and becoming one). Them (giant ants, if you must know). And Quigley Down Under. I love Crazy Cora. She's so flawed and Quigley (Tom Selleck) is so gentle with her, even when she's driving him nuts. It's a sweet love story.
Today I caught my breath, in between the last week of business (construction and Eagle Court coming up) and the next week of business (a funeral, floor going in, and a writers' conference).
Sometimes the breaths we take are emotional ones. Today I breathed deeply of family togetherness.
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
My family still expects dinner, usually a big one (roast beef in the crockpot makes it easier, especially if I cook up the potatoes, mash 'em, and stick them in another crockpot on warm, and even make the gravy and put it in a small crockpot). But it still takes time.
Today my kitchen is still torn up, so my husband grilled some steaks on the BBQ grill (it's too cold to grill, but when you don't have a stove/oven hooked up, the choices for a nice Sunday dinner are limited.
My family and I watched three movies today. Usually we'll go weeks without watching one, but we had a regular movie-lalapalooza today. Not many steps, but a lot of relaxation time watching silly movies.
The Incredible Mr. Limpet (man wishing he could be a fish--and becoming one). Them (giant ants, if you must know). And Quigley Down Under. I love Crazy Cora. She's so flawed and Quigley (Tom Selleck) is so gentle with her, even when she's driving him nuts. It's a sweet love story.
Today I caught my breath, in between the last week of business (construction and Eagle Court coming up) and the next week of business (a funeral, floor going in, and a writers' conference).
Sometimes the breaths we take are emotional ones. Today I breathed deeply of family togetherness.
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
BABY STEP 38 - Living Waters (Feb 7)
How much water did you drink today? I’ve started fixing myself tasty drinks so that I’m drinking more and enjoying it more than plain ‘ole water.
Plain ‘ole water.
I remember living in Kuwait when I was a teen. We had water tanks on top of our flat roofs. A water truck would bring water to the house and pump it up into the tank on the house.
And when we ran the water, it would run hot to begin with. If we wanted cold water, we had to wait a few moments.
And I remember when I was a young child, in South America, when we showered in cold water. I remember when we finally got hot water--and I would still end my shower with cold water because it was so refreshing in the South American heat.
And I remember days when I thought, during the entire working day, that I ought to go fill my big drinking mug--but I didn't. I was starving my body of water.
Remember, my body--and yours--is in large part water. We need to replenish that water, so the water that's already in there can do its job--some of which is to carry toxins out of the body. We want to get rid of toxins and bring in the life-bringing moisture of water.
So the next time you go to a restaurant, order water. Your body will thank you. And it might even become a healthy habit.
Just like that.
Got water?
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
Plain ‘ole water.
I remember living in Kuwait when I was a teen. We had water tanks on top of our flat roofs. A water truck would bring water to the house and pump it up into the tank on the house.
And when we ran the water, it would run hot to begin with. If we wanted cold water, we had to wait a few moments.
And I remember when I was a young child, in South America, when we showered in cold water. I remember when we finally got hot water--and I would still end my shower with cold water because it was so refreshing in the South American heat.
And I remember days when I thought, during the entire working day, that I ought to go fill my big drinking mug--but I didn't. I was starving my body of water.
Remember, my body--and yours--is in large part water. We need to replenish that water, so the water that's already in there can do its job--some of which is to carry toxins out of the body. We want to get rid of toxins and bring in the life-bringing moisture of water.
So the next time you go to a restaurant, order water. Your body will thank you. And it might even become a healthy habit.
Just like that.
Got water?
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
BABY STEP 37 - Soaring with Eagles (Feb 6)
Yup. Today was my son Ryan's Eagle Court of Honor. Which meant that the entire morning and up until three o'clock I was running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off.
And I got another 6500 steps for the day. Running errands adds up.
My challenge is on those days when I sit all day at the computer. On those days, how can I get in extra steps? How to I motivate myself out the door to walk for thirty minutes?
Ryan earned his Eagle, which is an awesome achievement. He worked for several years, earning different ranks and merit badges. And, finally, he received the prize.
It might take us a few years to reach our final prize, but I believe by the end of this year we will much, much closer to the prize than when the year began.
Are you with me? Is this the year of change for you, too?
Are you getting you baseline? Have you gone into the corner and opened up your chest? Have you taken a deep breath or two or three? Have you ordered your pedometer? if not, why not today?
We've put enough things off until tomorrow.
Why not today?
If I were to live a healthy life *today*, what would that look like?
If I were to walk 5000 steps a day for six months, how would that affect my body shape?
If I were to step out in faith, trustig that God *will* show me what I need to know and change about myself, and trusting He will send me the courage to make the changes if I but ask, what miracles could happen this year?
If I just do each day what is needful for that day.
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
And I got another 6500 steps for the day. Running errands adds up.
My challenge is on those days when I sit all day at the computer. On those days, how can I get in extra steps? How to I motivate myself out the door to walk for thirty minutes?
Ryan earned his Eagle, which is an awesome achievement. He worked for several years, earning different ranks and merit badges. And, finally, he received the prize.
It might take us a few years to reach our final prize, but I believe by the end of this year we will much, much closer to the prize than when the year began.
Are you with me? Is this the year of change for you, too?
Are you getting you baseline? Have you gone into the corner and opened up your chest? Have you taken a deep breath or two or three? Have you ordered your pedometer? if not, why not today?
We've put enough things off until tomorrow.
Why not today?
If I were to live a healthy life *today*, what would that look like?
If I were to walk 5000 steps a day for six months, how would that affect my body shape?
If I were to step out in faith, trustig that God *will* show me what I need to know and change about myself, and trusting He will send me the courage to make the changes if I but ask, what miracles could happen this year?
If I just do each day what is needful for that day.
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
BABY STEP 36 - Shop ‘til you drop (Feb 5)
This baseline stuff is interesting.
Today, my husband and I went shopping with our son, who will be leaving for Pittsburgh in March. We shopped for about five hours.
And, amazingly, all that shopping added up to nearlly 7000 steps for the day!
`The moral of the story? Shop 'til you drop ... pounds, that is!
Just kidding. I don't want to shop all day, but it's nice that I got all those steps today.
It makes me wonder how many steps we walked the lsat time we went to Disneyland. Next time, I'll take my pedometer with me and find out. But we can't spend all our days in Disneyland, either.
Nope, we reside right here in real life. What is there about real life that has got us walking so few steps and eating so much chocolate and sugary treats?
I'm now 36 days without caffeinated Pepsi. Most of the time, I'm okay with that. Occasionally, like today when someone else is drinking one, I wish I had one. Then I go grab a water and one of those little Crystal Light individual flavor packets and that helps. (My favorite is the orange flavor.)
I've started buying my Crystal Light at Wal-Mart. The regular is about $3, compared to nearly $5 at other stores, and the Wal-Mart generic is only $2.
Late r in the year, I may find there's something negative about the Crystal Light mixes, but for now it's helping me break the caffeine habit.
Today is a weird kind of day. It's getting warmer here in Salt Lake (actually Taylorsville, a suburb of Salt lake) which is nice. That's why I went walking a few days ago, because the weather was finally warm enough to go out. I still needed gloves though.
I guess that's why some people walk the malls. You get all the steps of shopping in, without having to spend any money.
So maybe ... window shop 'til you drop.
Or something.
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
Today, my husband and I went shopping with our son, who will be leaving for Pittsburgh in March. We shopped for about five hours.
And, amazingly, all that shopping added up to nearlly 7000 steps for the day!
`The moral of the story? Shop 'til you drop ... pounds, that is!
Just kidding. I don't want to shop all day, but it's nice that I got all those steps today.
It makes me wonder how many steps we walked the lsat time we went to Disneyland. Next time, I'll take my pedometer with me and find out. But we can't spend all our days in Disneyland, either.
Nope, we reside right here in real life. What is there about real life that has got us walking so few steps and eating so much chocolate and sugary treats?
I'm now 36 days without caffeinated Pepsi. Most of the time, I'm okay with that. Occasionally, like today when someone else is drinking one, I wish I had one. Then I go grab a water and one of those little Crystal Light individual flavor packets and that helps. (My favorite is the orange flavor.)
I've started buying my Crystal Light at Wal-Mart. The regular is about $3, compared to nearly $5 at other stores, and the Wal-Mart generic is only $2.
Late r in the year, I may find there's something negative about the Crystal Light mixes, but for now it's helping me break the caffeine habit.
Today is a weird kind of day. It's getting warmer here in Salt Lake (actually Taylorsville, a suburb of Salt lake) which is nice. That's why I went walking a few days ago, because the weather was finally warm enough to go out. I still needed gloves though.
I guess that's why some people walk the malls. You get all the steps of shopping in, without having to spend any money.
So maybe ... window shop 'til you drop.
Or something.
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
BABY STEP 35 - Double Trouble (Feb 4)
Interesting. I found my pedometer and today I took off the clip and hung it on the lanyard from my waist (it seemed too big around my neck).
And this time I didn't lose it.
But, since it was swinging around on the lanyard, I bumped one of the buttons and deleted the number of steps.
Okay. Tomorrow, I'll try clipping it to my waistband where I don't bump the buttons, and also clip the lanyard on my waistband so if the clip falls off, I won't lose the pedometer.
Our kitchen floor is torn up right now as we prepare to put down a pretty new wood-look floor. It's been overwhelming, and today I'm just trying to get myself centered enough to *not* be overwhelmed.
What centers you?
Other than chocolate, which is kind of a faux-fix, I like to read. To lose myself in the lives of others. After I come back from a good book, I can handle my own life more easily. Sometimes going for a walk helps, but this week I've needed to stay at home while the guys have been working on tearing out our old subfloor and installing new, improved subfloor. (Yeah, I don't get it, either. I'm glad there are people who enjoy doing that so I don't have to).
What are ways you keep from becoming overwhelmed with what's going on in your life?
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
And this time I didn't lose it.
But, since it was swinging around on the lanyard, I bumped one of the buttons and deleted the number of steps.
Okay. Tomorrow, I'll try clipping it to my waistband where I don't bump the buttons, and also clip the lanyard on my waistband so if the clip falls off, I won't lose the pedometer.
Our kitchen floor is torn up right now as we prepare to put down a pretty new wood-look floor. It's been overwhelming, and today I'm just trying to get myself centered enough to *not* be overwhelmed.
What centers you?
Other than chocolate, which is kind of a faux-fix, I like to read. To lose myself in the lives of others. After I come back from a good book, I can handle my own life more easily. Sometimes going for a walk helps, but this week I've needed to stay at home while the guys have been working on tearing out our old subfloor and installing new, improved subfloor. (Yeah, I don't get it, either. I'm glad there are people who enjoy doing that so I don't have to).
What are ways you keep from becoming overwhelmed with what's going on in your life?
© Copyright 2010 Heather Horrocks
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
